Apparatus for the treatment of curvature, &amp;c.



No. 68!,17'4. I Patented Aug. 20, 19ml WEGNEB & E. REPKE.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT, OF. CURVATURE, &c.

(Application filed Aug. 30, 1899. Renewed May 17, 1901.)

(No. Modal.)

s :0 PHoTo-u'mo, WASHINGTON. 0 c.

tin a -1 UNITED STATES TATENT g Fries,

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CURVATURE, dc.-

srnoirrcn rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,174, dated August 20, 190i.

Application filed August 30, 1899. Renewed May 17, 1901. Serial No. 60,765. (No model.)

1 ,To 60% whom it may concern:

,and ERNST REPKE, engineer, subjects of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at 66 Potsdamerstrasse, Berlin,W. ,Germany,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Stretching and Straightening Apparatus for the Treatment of Curvature and other Similar Deformities, of which the following The object of this invention isa new, pracis a specification. V

. tical, and polygonal combined stretching and straightening apparatus for curing in a simit ple manner and by mechanical means hunchbacks, protuberant chests, and other deformities of the human body and limbs, such as narrow or pigeon breasts and weakness of the trate our improved surgical appliance, Figi ure 1 is a perspective View, Fig. 2 a side 1 View, and Fig. 3 a rear View, of the same.

x muscles.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, as will be more fully 1. described in the following specification, and the essential elements of which are recited in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illus This new stretching and straightening ap- I pliance consists, essentially, of an upright a 1 I and of an inclined plane 1), adjustable on the X latter and co'mprisinga ladder b and aboard l b laid on the same and capable of being adi justed at anysuitable angle or inclination,

so as to' allow of its position being selected it according to the particular case under treatment.

To these two main parts of the apparatus-i. e., the upright a and the inclined plane bare secured all the principal instru- By way of example, a bar or board The inclined plane 12 the ladder-rungs, a holder d, provided with a suspending device for the head to support *the patient, otherwise held by an elastic breast-band e and resting during the treatment on the board 17 so that he maybe free to move his head in the suspending device and his body in the elastic or rigid band for the purpose of exercising his muscles in this position by means of elastic or inelastic ropes or cords f, which, in order to increase the resistance, may have an exchangeable Weight suspended intermediate of the two ends.

Instead of the holder d being suspended by a strap to the inclined plane, the same may be fastened by means of elastic or inelastic ropes g, also provided with an exchangeable weight suspended intermediate of the ends, thus allowing the exercise of the muscles to be carried on by overcoming an adjustable re sistance. The patient may also be suspended to the inclined plane b by means of two shoulder-straps, loops, or rings 2'.

The board of the inclined plane is sus= pended to the same by means of hooks or the like, so that it can be removed and used as a massage-plank, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Furthermore,- the fixed or elastic band can be used for straightening or reducing purposes by arranging it differently on the apparatus.

This apparatus can be erected within a very small space.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is- In an orthopedic appliance applicable also for muscularexercise the combination witha portable upright, of a ladder adapted to be attached to the upright at various angles, a board for supporting the body adapted to be hooked onto the rungs. of the ladder at various heights, a head-strap and an elastic breast-band for suspending the body, exercisers for the various muscles, said exercisers in connection with a counterweight and handles for employing same, substantially as described and shown and for the purposes indicated.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing'wit- HGSSGS.

KATHARINA WEGNER. ERNST REPKE. Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUr'r, HENRY HASPER. 

